Christmas in Dark Places
by iheartGibbs
Summary: A dangerous case leads to two team members working undercover. Their covers blown, they are thrown into a maze of underground caves while two murderous villains play a hunting game. With one man seriously injured, will they find a way out in time?
1. Chapter 1

Christmas in Dark Places

by iheartGibbs

Secret Santa gift for Enthusiastic Fish.

Acknowledgements: Special kudos to Sevvie for helping me come up with an idea and to Oz for the seriously amazing BETA work! ;D You rock!

Category: Gen

Category 2: Action, H/C, drama, angst(ish) [hey – I tried!

Rating: T (PG-13)

Characters: Entire team, but primarily McGee and Tony.

Pairings: None, really. Hints at both McAbby and McGiva.

Spoilers: None. Well, season five for McGee's hair.

Warnings: None

Kinks: None

Word Count: 9,723

Summary: A particularly dangerous case leads to two team members working undercover. Their covers blown, they are thrown into a maze of underground caves while two murderous villains play a hunting game. With one man seriously injured, will they find a way out in time?

Chapter One

"But I really don't want to cut it," McGee whimpered, giving his beautiful hair a farewell glance in the mirror.

"That's the price of working undercover, Probie," Tony said, taking a little extra pleasure in torturing his coworker. "But if you can't handle it, I'm sure…"

McGee stiffened and responded immediately. "I can handle it," he said confidently.

Fortunately for McGee, the standard Navy haircut was not as extreme as that mandated by some of the other military branches and his cover did not include undergoing basic training, but impersonating a transferring IT specialist from another base.

"If you want, I can save the clippings for you," Abby offered, as she prepared to give McGee his requisite haircut.

"That is somewhat disturbing," Ziva remarked.

"No thanks, Abby. I can always grow it back."

"That would be nice, Timmy," Abby said with a smile. "I like it longer."

"I prefer it short," Ziva countered.

"Too bad we can't make Tony's longer," Abby lamented, eyeing the older agent skeptically.

"Bite your tongue," Tony said sharply. "My hair is fine as it is. Besides, I don't need longer hair to pull off my undercover role. It's all about the attitude."

"Which you have in abundance," Ziva quipped.

"Very funny, Zee-vah," he replied, tossing a surreptitious glance at his own reflection in the mirror. He looked just fine, as far as he was concerned. He had successfully played a thug before and pulled it off with flying colors. Besides, the background Abby and McGee had planted for him couldn't be breached.

Tony shook his head at McGee's wince when Abby cut the first lock of his hair. "I can't believe you even passed the physical exam."

"I'm not really in the Navy, Tony," McGee reminded him. "And I could pass the physical if I needed to. I've spent a considerable amount of time working out over the past year."

"I have noticed, McGee," Ziva assured him.

"Thank you, Ziva."

Tony rolled his eyes, but was halted from further comment by the entrance of Director Shepard. She smiled brightly at the group of people gathered in Abby's lab.

"Do we need to review the case again?" she asked, her anxiety about sending the two men into such a dangerous situation showing through in spite of her efforts to mask it.

"McGoo has it memorized, I'm sure, but will probably freeze up and forget to act when push comes to shove," Tony began, surprising himself by the digs he was making at his friend. McGee had come a long way the past few years and he knew his remarks were unfair, he just couldn't seem to stop himself.

"Thanks, Tony," McGee muttered.

"Aww," Abby said, bending down to embrace the younger man. "That was uncalled for, Tony," she scolded.

"Don't worry, Abs," Tony continued. "I'll be there to watch his back."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs barked.

"Sorry, Boss," he winced, but couldn't move in time to avoid the sharp smack to the back of his head.

"McGee doesn't need you undermining his confidence right now," Director Shepard advised Tony. "As you know, we already have three injured agents as a result of this situation, and your team is being brought in against my better judgment. I don't want to see anyone hurt."

"They can handle it," Gibbs said, with more confidence than McGee actual felt at that moment. McGee took a deep breath and allowed himself to consider the chain of events that had led him to be here.

Another team's investigation of a missing marine had turned into his murder inquiry. The team had made very little headway, and it seemed as if their every move had been anticipated. Not only was the original team unsuccessful in identifying a suspect, but three of their agents were now in the hospital recuperating from injuries sustained from following up on a lead gone wrong.

Tony had been the first approached to go undercover. It was believed that the perpetrator's connections had impeded the original team's progress. Learning from her past mistakes, Director Shepard had briefed the entire team on the situation before sending Tony on assignment. McGee had worked with Abby to create Tony's cover, and Gibbs' team had been working in tandem with the remainder of Pollock's team to try to get a break on the case.

Now, although he tried hard not to show it, McGee was nervous as they made their final preparations. While he was confident that they wouldn't be recognized by anyone involved in the operation, he also knew there was a strong likelihood that there were connected spies in several departments, including the area to which he was about to begin 'working'. He was even more worried for Tony, who was apparently heading straight into the center of a nest of vipers.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_One Week Later_

"Whaddya got?" Gibbs asked, as he walked swiftly to his desk, fresh coffee in hand.

"Tony still has not checked in, Gibbs," Ziva said, her voice tinged with worry. "McGee is following up on his hunch that Marlow is involved, but has not made his afternoon report."

"I was able to get Marlow's background info," Agent Rebecca Samuels reported from her seat at McGee's desk. The key researcher in Pollock's team, she was working with Gibbs' team, since they were, in effect, two men down.

Gibbs gave her a hard look. "And?"

"I think Agent McGee's on to something," Samuels continued. "Looks like Jeremy Marlow was promoted in spite of multiple complaints of unprofessional behavior from his superiors. There have been several charges and allegations against him, yet he always comes out smelling clean. He seems almost Teflon-coated."

"Teflon?" Ziva asked, confused.

"You know, the coating some pans have so your food doesn't stick," she explained.

"What kind of complaints," Gibbs interrupted, trying to get back to the subject at hand. He was more worried about Tony than he could admit.

"He showed a pattern of insolence and insubordination. He doesn't fit the profile of a service man. He's the kind of guy that is either reformed by military service, is dishonorably discharged or serves his minimum and gets out. He's not the type to go for a career in the Navy. It doesn't make sense," Samuels said in frustration.

"Not much to go on," Gibbs remarked.

Being so deep undercover, Tony hadn't had the same opportunities as McGee to check back in with the team. After his recent near brushes with death, Gibbs couldn't help but be a little anxious with being out of the loop.

"Have we been able to get a trace on Tony's 'other' phone?" he asked.

"Abby is working on it," Ziva explained as Gibbs disappeared into the elevator.

Ziva immediately went back to work – she was as concerned about Tony as Abby and Gibbs, but she did not seem to have the luxury of expressing those feelings. So she turned those negative emotions into further motivation, fueling her efforts to find information that would help bring this case to a close and bring her friends back home.

---

"I'll ask you one more time, but that's it," the man said, raising the pipe wrench he was holding in preparation of striking another blow.

Tony kept his eyes closed, refusing to cooperate. He wasn't sure how long he had been captive, or how much more torture he could take, for that matter. "I don't know what you're talking about," Tony continued to play dumb.

"Don't play coy, pig," the man spat. "I know you're up to something."

"See. You already know more than I do," Tony quipped, earning himself a hard blow to the abdomen. He groaned and struggled to regain his breath.

"Just admit it, and we can end this quickly."

"I can't admit what I know nothing about," Tony reasoned, and then winced at the wrench again connected. He bit back tears at the intense pain that accompanied the cracking of bone. With his arms tied behind him and secured to the chair, he was not able to avoid the hit.

"Make something up," the man sneered.

"Okay, okay," Tony complied. "I'm not a cop, but I do have FBI connections."

"Oooh, a fed," the man taunted, swinging the wrench full force into Tony's chest, knocking the chair onto its back and leaving him with his feet in the air.

"I'm not a fed either," Tony explained.

"Then what's your connection to the FBI?"

"I was once married to J. Edgar Hoover," Tony said mockingly.

Tony's attacker placed a booted foot on the base of the chair and forced it upright, bringing Tony up to meet his gaze. "This is no time for jokes, pig."

"You think I'm joking?" Tony continued. "Are you saying you don't think I could get a man like Hoover?"

"Oh, you think that's funny?"

Keeping his foot on the base of the chair, the man struck Tony across the cheek with the back of his fist, spattering himself with blood and rendering the agent temporarily unconscious. Disappointed that he had let himself get carried away, he retreated to a far room to catch some sleep.

---

"Come on, come on," McGee muttered under his breath as he waited for Marlow to emerge from the warehouse he had watched him enter some thirty minutes before. Not wanting to risk his cover, he did not have his NCIS cell phone with him and was now late for his check-in with Ziva.

The sound of a gun arming caught his attention just before he heard a voice, "Following me, Gee?"

McGee's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him: Jeremy Marlow was standing right next to his car door, his weapon trained on his left temple. He swallowed hard and thought, 'What would Gibbs do? What would Tony do?'

"Out of the car," Marlow ordered.

For a brief moment, McGee considered starting the car and pulling out, but he knew there was no way Marlow could miss at this distance. A defeated look in his eye, he slowly reached for the door handle.

---

"Well, crap," Tony said when he saw a second man lead a bound McGee into the room.

"You know this punk?" his tormentor asked.

"He tried to pick me up once," Tony quipped, earning himself another blow.

McGee stared at his coworker and was appalled at the condition he was in. Covered in cuts and bruises, clothes bloodstained, the right half of his face was swollen almost beyond recognition and his left arm was very obviously broken.

"Move it, Gee," Marlow ordered as he pushed McGee toward a second chair in the room.

"No," the other man interjected before Marlow could tie McGee to the chair. "I have something else in mind for our two pigs." His subsequent laugh sent chills through McGee. What could possibly be worse than what they had been doing to Tony?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Tony was shocked at how well McGee was holding up under torture. After being dragged from the room in which he had been held, Tony had hoped McGee would somehow avoid the treatment he himself had suffered. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Now tied back to back, Tony could feel by the tension of his coworker's body that he was definitely straining under the pressure. Tony had a fleeting thought that they could have at least have let them sit. Standing back to back with someone, bound together at the wrists while you were alternately tortured was not very easy; but then, it [iwas[/i torture. At least they were roughly the same height.

"What's your real name?" the man who had been attending to Tony asked McGee.

"I already told you. Tom Gee," he answered, receiving the subsequent blow with a minimum of reaction.

As if determined to force him to react, the man met McGee's gaze and smiled. McGee then realized that this man was enjoying every moment of what was transpiring. He and Tony were in serious trouble.

McGee attempted to keep his mind off the relentless beating he was receiving by running over the details of the case up to this point. He was late checking in. Surely by now the team was in the process of tracking down Marlow. Ziva, Abby, Gibbs… they would figure it out. They would come in time; they had to. His thoughts were interrupted when the man pulled a handgun out of his waistband and used it to bash him hard on the left cheek, pulling the punch only enough to keep him from being knocked unconscious. It was Tony's steady stance that kept them upright.

"Dude, what makes you think this guy is a spy? He's a geek, for crying out loud," Tony said in a desperate attempt to deflect some of their "attention" from McGee back to him.

"He's too clean," the man sneered. "No one as good as he is gets as far as he's gotten without some sort of commendation. It's not normal. I smell a rat; or more likely, a pig."

"Maybe it's your upper lip," Tony retorted.

The man spun toward Tony and, without warning, raised his weapon and fired two rounds into his right leg.

"Tony!" McGee shouted as they fell hard to the ground, Tony on his left side and McGee on his right.

The responding gleam in the man's eye was enough to assure Tony and he and McGee would never survive this.

"Tony," the man repeated. "Suits you better than Travis."

"I don't even know what this guy is talking about. Tony is probably the name of his lover. I mean, the name just slipped out when he was scared," Tony said, hoping he could successfully cover McGee's error.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" the man said, and then spat on Tony, the spittle landing on his cheek.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Tony said flippantly.

McGee leaned hard onto his right arm and tried to support Tony without their tormentor's noticing. He knew Tony wouldn't last long lying on his broken arm, and he was concerned with the amount of blood his friend was losing due to the gun shot wounds in his leg.

"Do you know what we do with pigs around here?" the man asked.

"From the look of things, you eat them," Tony replied. "And probably anything else you can get your hands on," he added under his breath.

"Wise guy, eh? No, we don't eat them."

"Umm… then what do you do?" McGee asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"We hunt them," the man said with a demented chuckle.

McGee swallowed hard. This did not sound good.

---

"Gibbs," Abby said mournfully when the older man entered her lab.

"I take it you don't have anything for me."

"No, I don't," she said, "and this is just killing me. I mean, it's almost Christmas! McGee was supposed to go to a concert with me tonight and Tony always comes over for dinner one day near Christmas. Like the old song says, Christmas just ain't Christmas without the ones you love, Gibbs. We have to find them."

"We will," Gibbs said, pulling Abby into his arms and giving her a comforting squeeze. "We don't even know for sure that anything's wrong."

"When you say it, I believe it," she told him, returning his hug.

"Now get to work," he said as he released her, leaving his Caf-Pow! offering on the table next to her.

"Thanks, Gibbs!" she called out as he exited the room as quickly as he had entered.

Now feeling a little more hopeful, Abby turned her music on for the first time that day. Her lab became a flurry of activity as she began rerunning all the tests that Pollock's team had already had her run weeks ago, just to see if there was anything she had missed the first time through. She was determined to find something that would bring Tony and McGee home.

---

"Gibbs," Ziva said when he walked off the elevator.

"Ziva," he echoed. "What's up?"

"I think McGee has been discovered. He was following Marlow earlier and he has not checked in, and Marlow did not come back to work after lunch."

"Find him," Gibbs said shortly.

"I am trying," she replied, sighing at Gibbs' responding stare. "I will find him."

"I've been trying to locate Marlow by tracking his cell phone," Samuels added, "but it must be off. I'll keep on it."

"You do that," Gibbs said. "Any word on Tony?"

"No, Gibbs," Ziva said quietly.

Gibbs swore softly under his breath and tried not to let his anxiety show. What was worse than the idea of Tony's cover being blown was the unknown factor. Since he wasn't allowed many opportunities to check in, they had no idea if he was fairing well or if things had gone terribly wrong. The only thing Gibbs knew with certainty was that Tony hadn't come up with enough information to solve the case. Gibbs was confident that, were that the case, Tony would have made contact.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

McGee awoke with a start, and then immediately winced at the pain his quick movement had caused. Memories of the past few hours flooded back to him as he allowed his eyes to adjust to the near-darkness. He rubbed his raw wrists gently: he was no longer bound to Tony.

"Tony?" he called tentatively. Not only was he not sure of the whereabouts of his friend, he had no idea where he was or how he had come to be there.

When he received no response, McGee carefully began to feel the area near him. He drew back his hand in alarm when he brushed over coarse denim. Thinking it may have been Tony, he reached back out to investigate further. He was quickly able to ascertain that this was not Tony, but a backpack. Curious, he pulled it toward him and unzipped it, reaching in a tentative hand to explore the contents.

He was surprised to find several survival items: a flashlight, a canteen of water, a couple of bags of peanuts, a chocolate bar, some bandages, duct tape and a walkie-talkie. Using his newly-discovered flashlight to guide him, he realized he was underground. It appeared to be some sort of tunnel; the walls were slick rock, the atmosphere damp and the temperature was cool – too cool to be exposed for too long without repercussions.

"Tony?" he called again, this time a little louder. Again, he received no response.

Tossing the backpack over one of his sore shoulders, McGee began to walk a bit down the tunnel. Before long, the tunnel forked. "Tony?!" he called.

He hesitated, not wanting to get even further from Tony but having no idea which way to go. He pulled the walkie-talkie out of his pack and turned it on, surfing through the channels for any sort of activity. If he was as far underground as he suspected, the range wouldn't be very good. Someone would have to be right on top of him to use them. Not surprisingly, he heard nothing.

"Like in any good dungeon crawl, always go left," McGee said to himself, choosing the corresponding passageway. He rounded the corner and heaved a sigh. This tunnel extended as far as his limited light would allow him to see. He quickly made his way down the tunnel, looking for some sign of life. Peering around the next bend, he could see something at the edge of the shadows.

Not knowing what he was seeing, he crept quietly, but quickly in that direction, keeping his light steady. He quickened his pace when he recognized the shape as that of a shoe. As the light encroached, the body of Tony, sprawled unconscious on the ground, began to materialize in front of him; a backpack similar to his own lay next to him.

"Tony, thank God," McGee said as he knelt next to his friend.

He immediately began to pull up the leg of Tony's jeans to check his wounds. Tony gave a moan of protest, just as McGee realized his wounds were already bandaged.

"Probie?" Tony asked weakly as he came to.

McGee helped his friend into a sitting position and explained what he knew of their surroundings.

"Why would they bandage my wounds and give us all this stuff?" Tony asked. "Unless…" his eyes lit up, as if a light bulb had literally flashed on in his brain.

"Unless…" McGee prompted.

"Unless they are playing 'Hunt the Pigs'. Chasing wounded prey is no fun. By giving us what we need to survive, it adds to the thrill of the hunt," Tony explained.

"You mean they…?"

"I mean, McGee, that they are most likely down here with us; armed, of course. If we don't find a way out soon, we're goners."

"Well, that's a way to stay positive, Tony," McGee groaned. "What would Abby say if she were here?"

Tony chuckled. "Abby would have already killed me with a huge anaconda-like squeeze before you and I ever got stuck together."

"Gee thanks, Tony," McGee said, offended at his choice of words. "I know there are other people you'd rather be in this situation with, but you don't have to be that way."

"It's not that, Probie," Tony began, "it's just…"

"Yeah, I know. We'll find the bad guys but… what was it you said…? Oh, that's right. I'll 'probably freeze up and forget to act when push comes to shove'."

Tony sighed. "I'm sorry I said that. I didn't mean…"

"Yes, you did," McGee interrupted. "Anyhow, let's try to find a way out of here before Christmas."

"Christmas!" Tony gasped. "Abby really is going to kill me now."

"Tell me about it," McGee moaned. "I was supposed to take her to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert last night. At least I think it was last night… maybe it's tonight."

Tony had his walkie-talkie out and was fiddling through the channels. Just as McGee was about to inform him he had already tried that, one of the channels showed activity. From the small speaker they heard the loud, maniacal laughter of the man who had beaten them.

'_Oh, piggies…'_ the man sang out. _'You're gonna die!'_ he promised.

Tony waited for a break and fired up his own walkie-talkie, "Yippee-kai-aye."

"Tony," McGee chided. "Stop making it worse."

"It can't get much worse than this. I can at least have some fun with it."

'_Oh, someone's awake,'_ the man acknowledged gleefully. _'Welcome to your own personal hell, pig.'_ The words were punctuated with the sound of a gun arming.

"Okay, now we have to find a way out of here," McGee said, suddenly feeling the pressure of their situation start to press in around him.

"Let's get a move on, Elf Lord," Tony said, allowing McGee to help him to his somewhat unsteady feet.

"Can you walk, Tony?" McGee asked, concerned.

"Sure," Tony bragged as his left leg collapsed when he put weight on it. "Maybe just a little help," he amended.

McGee leaned down and let Tony put his left arm over his shoulders so he could support Tony's weight as they maneuvered.

"Let's stick together and use one flashlight at a time. Batteries'll last longer that way," Tony suggested.

"Good idea."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

McGee pressed forward, now supporting more of Tony's weight than Tony was. They were making little progress. Tony had continued to weaken and in an effort to conserve energy was no longer talking, which left McGee to wallow in his own misery. No matter how hard he tried, McGee couldn't seem to keep the depression and self-loathing at bay. It was Christmas and not only had he stood Abby up for the first real date they had planned in years, but he had also probably missed meeting up with Sarah to fly home for the holidays. She was undoubtedly worried sick. Abby would probably never say yes again, especially now that he had managed to get into this mess. It didn't matter to McGee that Tony was captured first; in his mind he was the inferior agent and, therefore, responsible for their predicament. He had been on to Marlow – he should have been able to stop him in time.

McGee halted at the sound of footsteps and put a hand across Tony's mouth to stop the other agent's confused protestation from escaping into the quiet. He looked around and saw at least four different passageways from which the footsteps could have come.

"Tony," he whispered, "we've got company."

---

"Abby?" Ziva whispered hesitantly. "Abby," she repeated a little louder.

The dark-haired scientist was sleeping on a grey futon on the floor of the forensics lab, her beloved stuffed hippo, Bert, curled tightly in her arms. At the sound of her friend's voice, she slowly began to awaken.

"Abby?" Ziva tried one more time.

Abby sat up quickly, instantly alert. "Did we find them? Are they okay?"

"No, we have not found them." Ziva smirked at the expression on Abby's face. "I was wondering if there was anything I could do to assist you."

Abby sighed. "No. I've checked and rechecked everything."

"And you did not find anything in Marlow's computer?"

"Nope, Zilch. Nada. Nothing at all," Abby said dramatically.

"You better not mean what I think you mean," Gibbs said, suddenly appearing behind the girls.

"Gibbs!" Abby said loudly. "I meant I hadn't found anything [iyet[/i, not that there was nothing to find. Thank you so much, fearless leader," she said as she reached to take the Caf-Pow! from his hands, only to find it denied her as he moved it just out of her reach.

"Oh, not fair!" she cried. "I need it, Gibbs."

"I thought you had given up caffeine, Abby," Ziva wondered.

"Not when my boys are missing and probably hurt," she answered, as if it should have been obvious.

"They aren't your boys, Abby, they're my agents," Gibbs said gruffly.

"Yeah, and that doesn't make it any more your fault than it is mine, bossman," Abby replied.

"Find something," he added in a low voice as he slammed the drink down onto the counter and quickly left the room.

Abby's face softened. "Gibbs is so worried."

"We are all worried," Ziva said softly, drawing Abby's attention away from the closing door of the lab.

Without asking permission, Abby pulled Ziva into a chest-crushing hug. "They're going to be okay; they just have to be."

"I worry for McGee," Ziva admitted. "I know he is stronger than he appears, but he is not accustomed to this sort of thing. I imagine Tony will be fine, but when I think…" she trailed off, not wanting to speak the words aloud.

"Do. Not. Go. There," Abby said sternly, still holding the Mossad officer in a tight embrace. "McGee is…" Abby sighed. "He can be very determined; relentless, even. After we broke up, he never stopped trying; never."

"I have always respected McGee," Ziva said softly, pulling away from Abby. "He is a good man."

"The best," she agreed. "And Tony…"

Ziva chuckled. "Tony would not dare die like this. His life is too full of ways to torment the rest of us."

"Maybe you and McGee," Abby said with a smile, "but Tony never torments me." Then her voice broke, "I'm so afraid that one or both of them isn't going to make it back. Tony acts strong, but really he's a big baby. If something happens to McGee, Tony will never be the same. And believe me when I say that he won't let anything happen to McGee if he can help it, even if it means drawing all the attention to himself. That's how he used to handle bullies in school; when they would pick on another kid, he'd do something to make them pick on him instead so the other kid could save face. It used to piss his dad off so bad. His dad is a big bully."

Realizing she was not only rambling, but also revealing more about Tony's history than she probably should be, Abby shut her mouth.

"Okay," she began anew, "we are talking about them like they aren't even coming back and that is just not true. I won't let it be true." Abby crossed to her workbench and began typing furiously. "We'll find them," she said, more determined than ever.

---

Hearing another slight footfall and the rasp of something brushing against fabric, McGee was able to deduce that their pursuers were in one of two tunnels. Being found by their assailants with no weapon with which to defend themselves was _not_ the plan. McGee nodded toward the nearest passageway that would take them further away from the noises he had heard. Tony acknowledged with a nod of his own, and they began inching their way silently toward the tunnel.

Tony winced as McGee unintentionally allowed one of the packs to fall against the other as they disappeared into the tunnel. The almost imperceptible ghost of a sound was punctuated by the loud crack of a gunshot. They had been discovered!

"Run, McGee!" Tony said. "Leave me here."

"I'm not leaving you, Tony," McGee said as he pushed along with greater speed.

A hail of bullets came at them, announcing the arrival of the hunters. McGee screamed as he felt the fire of a bullet piece his thigh. The resulting adrenaline rush spurred them forward. The agents soon lost themselves in a series of turns, hoping to elude the men chasing them. When neither could go any further, the agents collapsed in a heap, both gasping for much-needed breath.

"I think we lost them," McGee whispered, when he could get enough air to do so.

"Let's hope so," Tony replied.

The two sat as silently as possible, trying to pull themselves back together.

"You've been hit," Tony said in alarm when he saw McGee's thigh.

"I know, Tony, but I couldn't exactly stop."

"You could have let me know so I could help you."

"You are in no position to help me, Tony," McGee reminded him.

"I can help get the bleeding stopped," he offered, and then moved into a better position to inspect the injury. "Do you have a knife?" At McGee's glare, he continued, "Of course you don't. They took all our weapons. I knew that."

"Um, Probie?" Tony began.

"Yeah."

"You're going to have to take down your pants."

McGee's eyes went wide, but Tony rushed to explain before he could protest. "I need to bandage your leg so you don't bleed all over the place and give away our location. We don't have a knife, and I don't think I can tear a big enough hole in your jeans."

McGee heaved a sigh, and then began to unfasten his pants. "Not a word," he grumbled.

"Scout's honor," Tony said.

"You were never a scout," McGee reminded him.

"I was a Cub Scout," Tony hedged, "but this is not the time to be petty. Now let's get you taken care of so we can get the heck out of here."

"Sounds good to me."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Gibbs, we found Marlow," Ziva reported, the second he walked off the elevator.

"A team is bringing him, and the man he was with, here to NCIS right now," Samuels added.

"What about McGee?" Gibbs inquired.

"No word yet," Ziva replied. "But we will get it out of him."

Samuels was taken aback by the expression on the Mossad officer's face. Until that very moment she had doubted the truth of some of the rumors circulating regarding the Israeli. She now understood that they were most likely true but, instead of horror, the realization brought only reassurance: they were going to get to the bottom of this.

"I'll do the interrogation," Gibbs informed them as he turned and jogged up the steps to the director's office.

---

"We have definitely missed Christmas, Probie," Tony lamented.

After caring for their wounds, the two had continued to move through the maze of tunnels. Several hours later, it was apparent their pursuers were not near, but they had also seen no sign of a way out.

"It's useless, Tony," McGee whined. "We're wasting our strength. There's no way out of here."

"Of course there's a way out, McGeek. They got us in here, didn't they?"

"True," he agreed. "Can we rest for just a little while?"

The exhaustion in McGee's voice triggered his own, and Tony leaned against the wall and slid to the floor.

"That sounds like a great idea," Tony said, reaching for his bag to retrieve his water and a bag of peanuts.

McGee joined his friend on the ground, and soon they were sharing the most bizarre Christmas dinner he had ever experienced.

"No fair!" Tony cried foul when McGee opened his chocolate bar.

"It is fair, Tony. I saved mine instead of eating it as soon as I found it."

McGee broke off half the bar and handed it to his friend.

"Merry Christmas, Tony," he said quietly.

"Merry Christmas, Tim," Tony replied.

He reached to accept the chocolate, only to have McGee hold it just out of his reach.

"Now that's just mean," he complained.

"Sing for it," McGee suggested.

"You never want me to sing, Probie, what's up?" Tony eyed the younger agent suspiciously.

"It's Christmas and I just thought… I don't know. Never mind," McGee said with a shrug. "You can have the chocolate."

"Thanks, man," Tony said.

They sat in companionable silence for a few moments, each savoring the flavor of the chocolate. After some time had passed, a soft melody began to echo down the tunnel. Tony was singing.

"Silent night, holy night. All is calm, all is bright…"

McGee joined voices with his friend and together they finished the hymn.

"Thanks, Tony," McGee said.

"No thanks necessary. It was nice," Tony admitted.

"One thing's for sure," McGee noted, "they are definitely not nearby or they would be closing in on us."

"True. Let's do another," Tony said, getting into the spirit of things.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know…"

---

The skeleton crew that remained of Gibbs' and Pollock's teams sat in the bullpen when Jeremy Marlow and Jared Michaels were escorted off the elevator. The team's faces were stern and emotions were high; Gibbs hoped the men could feel their animosity. He wanted them scared.

No one moved as the two men were taken to two separate interrogation rooms and locked in tightly.

"Let's go," Gibbs ordered. "I've got Marlow; Ziva, take the other guy."

The grin that covered Ziva's face was almost feral and sent a chill down Samuels' spine.

"With pleasure," Ziva agreed.

"Samuels, get with Abby. Cross reference the area where Tony's phone was tracked with the area where you found Marlow. I have a hunch our boys are near there."

"On it, Agent Gibbs," she replied, rushing to the elevator as the others disappeared down the hallway toward interrogation.

---

"Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh…"

The voices of the two agents were happier and more upbeat than before, the spirit of Christmas seeming to have given each a renewed vigor. They now sang as they trudged along the tunnel path. The light from the flashlight Tony carried was dimming, and they had no more batteries. They needed to find an exit soon.

"Tony!" McGee interrupted. "I think I see light down that way."

"Light at the end of the tunnel, Probie? You must be joking," Tony teased.

"Seriously, Tony; look!"

Tony craned his neck to peer in the direction McGee had indicated. As if of one mind, they began quickly making their way toward the proposed answer to their prayers. Unfortunately, the cavern came to an abrupt halt about twenty feet ahead, and the light appeared to be coming from a hole in the ground in front of the wall.

McGee slowly crept toward the end, carefully watching his feet so as not to inadvertently slide into the hole. He got down on all fours, and then lay on his stomach and began inching his way closer. Reaching the end, he shone the light downward and then began to report.

"It looks like at least a twelve foot drop. But it's brighter there. I think it could definitely be a way out."

"We need a rope," Tony stated the obvious.

"And something to attach it to would be nice," McGee added.

"True."

"Or…," McGee began.

"Or…?" Tony prompted. "What are you waiting for, Christmas?"

"Very funny. We could fashion some sort of rope out of our shirts and the backpacks. Then you can lower me down. And then you could jump…"

"And you'll catch me, Probie?" Tony chuckled. "I don't think so. I could lower you down and you could bring back help," Tony suggested.

"I'm not leaving you, Tony," McGee insisted. "Besides, how can you lower me down? Your arm is broken."

"It was your idea in the first place, genius," Tony said in frustration. "Okay then, you stay here and I'll go for help."

"You can barely walk."

"You aren't much better off yourself."

"Okay, I'll go," McGee agreed reluctantly.

"I thought so," Tony said smugly.

"Don't go anywhere. I mean, unless they come back after you or something."

"I'll be fine; go get Gibbs."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs was at his wit's end. What remained of his team had worked through Christmas and the man he knew was responsible for all this hard work wasn't talking. He had taken a step back to keep from losing control and pounding the heck out of Marlow. Now he was sitting in observation just watching him stew. They were losing time and they still had no idea where to find DiNozzo or McGee.

He moved down the hall to the other observation room and watched a frustrated Ziva threaten Michaels. Michaels sneered cockily in response. Gibbs smirked. A man this sure of himself was bound to slip up eventually.

Ziva smiled at the man. "You do not want to tell me? Fine. But your friend has been in with Gibbs for an hour now. I am sure he has already given us the information we need. Seal your own fate," she said resolutely, quickly exiting the room.

"Nothing?" Gibbs asked.

"No," Ziva said with a squeal of annoyance. "I think he can sense my desperation."

"Let's check in with Abs, then we'll trade," Gibbs suggested as he began the short walk to the elevator.

---

"Gibbs! How do you always do that?" Abby asked excitedly.

"It's an automatic door, Abs. It opens," he smirked.

"No! You always come right when I have something to tell you!"

"So tell us," Ziva said, internally begging Abby to hurry and report the information.

Abby nodded to Samuels, indicating that she could do the honors if she desired. Samuels returned the nod and smiled at Abby before turning to face Gibbs and Ziva.

"We were able to pinpoint the location of Tony's cover phone when he went off the radar," she began.

"We crosschecked it with the information we discovered while tracking Marlow's cell phone before we apprehended him," Abby added.

"Both locations were in Surry County, Virginia, within fifteen miles of one another," Samuels explained.

"Ziva," Gibbs said, already heading toward the door.

"On your sex, Gibbs."

Abby snickered and shared a knowing look with Samuels as Gibbs and Ziva left the room.

---

"Almost got it," Tony said as he tugged the rope-like tool they had fashioned from the materials available to them.

"Fasten it to your pants. Remember your arm is broken, and I weigh…"

"I don't want to know how much you weigh, Probie," Tony said. "I won't drop you."

"Let's do this," McGee said, securing a survival grip on the pack that made up the end of the rope.

"It's not that far, McGee; just go," Tony prodded.

Not wanting to imagine the amount of pain the impact of the landing would cause his bruised and battered self, McGee began to slide feet first into the hole.

"Tony…"

"I've got you."

Moments later McGee landed on the ground below with a soft "oomph".

"I made it, Tony!" he shouted. "I'll be back!"

"Hasta la vista, Ba-bee," Tony replied in his best Schwarzenegger accent. 

---

McGee was surprised to find the ground at this level muddy. It registered to him at that point that they must be near the water table. Having left the light with Tony, McGee followed the increasingly apparent sunlight floating from around the bend. He was nearly giddy with the excitement of finally getting the heck out of the tunnels.

As he breached the corner, the tunnel began to slope downward, the ground becoming muddier with each step. He pressed forward through the sludge and rounded the next bend, only to come to a complete halt. The tunnel sloped downward and disappeared, covered in water.

McGee ran through all the possibilities in his mind. If the cave continued its descent and was completely below water beyond this point, why was the sunlight streaming through?

'Unless it's like a sink trap!' McGee thought. In the Vietnam Conflict, the Viet Cong strategically used a vast tunnel system. Not long after the American-supported South Vietnamese began tossing tear gas and other types of chemical warfare into the tunnels, they quickly learned to periodically dig very deep troughs in their tunnels and fill them with water. The water would keep the offending gas or chemical from harming their army and rendering the tunnel system ineffective.

McGee slowly made his way down the slope of the cave floor. In spite of a few slips and slides, he arrived at the water's edge uneventfully. He suspected the trough wasn't very deep, based on the amount of light that shone through. He whispered a quick prayer that the tunnel didn't go far below the surface, took a deep breath and submerged himself into the unknown depths.

---

Gibbs made the drive south in record time; even for him. When they reached the location where Marlow was apprehended, he and Ziva began to have a look around.

"To be this close to so many cities, this is a very rural area," Ziva remarked.

"Yep," Gibbs agreed. "Let's talk to some people."

The bell over the entrance of the small convenience store announced their arrival when they pushed through the door. A small but spry-looking older gentleman cast them a quick glance before returning his attention to the book he was devouring.

"Help you with something?" he asked.

"We're with NCIS," Gibbs informed him, flashing his badge. "We're looking for some missing agents."

"NCIS?" the man question.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Services," Ziva answered automatically.

"We haven't had any Navy folks in these parts in a while. When I was young, however…" the man droned on, reminding Gibbs of the NCIS medical examiner who had a tendency to ramble on with tales of his own.

"Have you seen either of these men?" Ziva interrupted, showing the man photos of DiNozzo and McGee. "Can you tell us where someone could hold another captive? A warehouse district, cabins that are off the stricken path…?"

"Off the beaten path," Gibbs corrected, picking up her train of questioning. "Any where at all you'd look if you had someone missing in the area?"

"Well, like I was saying before you interrupted me, we used to have military folks in these parts a lot when I was a kid. There was a secret military operation housed in some of our caves. This county is rich in underground caverns and tunnels. Once upon a time, our Navy even used them. Now they're basically empty, 'though I suspect they get plenty of use by those who want to stay out of reach of the long arm of the law," the man explained.

"How do you get to these caves?" Gibbs asked.

"Oh, lots of ways in; fewer ways out. Local lore says an outsider could never find their way out, but as far as I know that's never been tested."

"Okay," Gibbs replied. "If a local were looking for a way out, where would he emerge?"

"A couple of places I'd check first," he said with a gleam in his eye. "There's a spot down by the bay where one of the tunnels comes out, but there's some water in the tunnel and it comes up really steep. It wouldn't be my first choice. My first choice would be down under the third dock at the marina. One of the caves ends there. You have to crawl for a bit, but it's the easiest way out." He breathed, and then added, almost as an afterthought, "Besides the commercialized entrances with ladders and steps, of course."

Ziva heaved a sigh. This might still take a while. Just when she thought they were finally going to find her friends, their one lead led seven different ways.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Gibbs' mind was traveling at warp speed, running through the possibilities the old man's instructions had raised. With a nod in his direction, Gibbs turned to leave.

"You'll never find them," the store keeper advised. "You could wander down there for a month and never run across them. There are miles and miles of tunnels."

Not pausing to inquire further, Gibbs and Ziva walked undaunted into the parking lot.

"Now what do we do?" Ziva asked.

"We contact the local LEOs, get search teams at each of the exits and work our way toward one another," Gibbs responded.

"On it," Ziva said, reaching for her phone.

"And Ziva," Gibbs said, pulling her attention back to him, "pray."

---

McGee burst back through the surface of the water in practically the same spot he had disappeared. Greedily, he breathed in the musky air of the cave passage as if it were the most incredible thing he had ever tasted. The water in which he was standing had little swirls of red from where the moisture had caused his wound to reopen. He knew he needed to get out fast and stop the bleeding.

The trough was deep, but not so deep that he couldn't make it. He just needed to be prepared. After a few more breaths, McGee filled his lungs with air and dove back into the water. He grabbed the walls of the cave with his hands, propelling himself forward. Soon, he had passed the low point of the trough. Giving himself a strong push off the bottom with his good leg, he soon emerged safely on the far side of the tunnel.

McGee closed his eyes and took a few glorious breaths of the fresh air he discovered on the far side of the water. He opened his eyes and was nearly blinded by the gleaming sunlight from the opening above him. His elation at successfully making his way through abated: the way out was almost completely straight up.

After a few futile attempts at the near-vertical climb, McGee realized he wasn't equipped or in the proper condition to make it. He nearly cried at the revelation that freedom was so close, yet still out of his grasp.

He sat at the water's edge trying to stem the flow of blood from his leg wound under control. Somehow Tony's tourniquet had come loose in the water and the wound was again bleeding freely. He needed a new tourniquet. Removing his pants, and found the bullet entrance point and, with quivering fingers, slowly widened the hole until it was large enough to begin tearing the pant leg from the rest of the pants. Tears sprang to his eyes when he was unable to get the denim to tear at the seam. Instead, he was forced to use his pants to staunch the blood flow, leaving him nearly naked and soaking wet.

He curled up into the tightest position possible and tried to keep himself from shivering. Even in southern Virginia, the water is cold in December; especially at such depths. He silently thanked God he had worn dark underwear the morning he had disappeared.

After a few moments of feeling sorry for himself, McGee began to think of Tony: his friend, coworker and frequent tormenter. Tony was counting on him. He thought of Abby and how devastated she would be if either he or Tony didn't make it back. He thought of Ziva and how their friendship had grown and developed since she had first come to NCIS. He thought of Gibbs, their team leader. Gibbs had always been a mentor and inspiration to him, even if he didn't show it as much as Tony.

"What would Gibbs do?" he asked himself.

He looked around the area, searching for something he could use to help him. He noticed that the floor of the slope going upward was caked with mud. He pulled himself to his feet and grabbed a sharp rock from some debris near the far side of the cave. Using the rock as a digging implement, McGee began to dig grooves in the mud. Using the grooves as footholds, he began a slow ascent to the tunnel entrance.

"Please let this work," he whispered over and over.

---

Gibbs and Ziva briefed the local LEOs on the situation and soon eight teams had begun the difficult search. The locals didn't seem hopeful.

No more than twenty minutes later, Gibbs' radio came to life.

"Agent Gibbs, I think we've found them," a voice said incredulously.

"What's your twenty?" Gibbs asked.

"Near the bay entrance," the man said. "We found a man. He's unconscious, but alive. GSW to the thigh. We've already called the paramedics."

"On our way," Gibbs said as he switched off the radio. "Let's go."

Gibbs and Ziva arrived at the scene moments later. They watched in concern as the paramedics revived McGee and began treating his injuries. He looked as if he had been put through a wringer: he was bruised and cut, had a nasty wound in his thigh from the gun shot and was covered in mud and sludge. The paramedics had wrapped a blanket around him and, to Gibbs, he looked years younger – too young to have just experienced this.

A tear fell down Ziva's cheek at the thought of the horrors he must have experienced. 'At least Tony… Tony! Where was Tony?'

As if he could read her thoughts, Gibbs began to speak. "McGee, where's Tony?" he implored.

"Back inside. He has two gunshot wounds and his arm is broken. He couldn't make it down the hole without help. I came on to get you," McGee answered, his expression showing how much he trusted Gibbs to take care of them.

"You did good, Tim," Gibbs told him, clasping the young man's shoulder in his firm hand.

"Thanks," McGee said quietly. "Tony… was the hero. He took the brunt of everything. You know what a smart mouth he has."

"You saved him," Gibbs said. "Don't sell yourself short. A lot of people would have given up. I'm proud of you."

McGee bit back the tears that threatened to spill at Gibbs' words of approval.

Not wanting to interrupt, but becoming increasingly worried for Tony, Ziva finally spoke. "What hole, McGee?" Ziva began preparing her gear, ready to go in after her teammate.

"Stay with McGee," Gibbs ordered. "I'm going for Tony."

---

After grilling McGee for information on Tony's location, Gibbs took one of the locals began to make his way into the tunnel at the bay entrance. Securing a rope topside, they lowered themselves in and followed McGee's instructions back to Tony.

When they reached the hole, the makeshift rope with the pack at the end was still hanging from it.

"Tony?" Gibbs shouted. Receiving no response, he repeated, "Tony!"

He gave the rope a gentle tug, confirming that it was still attached to the agent.

"He's up there," Gibbs informed the deputy assisting him. "You've gotta get me up there."

The deputy planted his feet as firmly as possible, bent his knees and gave Gibbs a leg up. Gibbs climbed up the man's side, using the cave wall and the deputy's strong grip to steady himself. Soon he was standing on the man's shoulders. Once the officer was standing, Gibbs was eye-level with the floor of the tunnel above.

"Tony," he said again, this time nudging the agent. Gibbs swallowed around the lump in his throat. "Be alive, darn it."

Gibbs tugged on the rope, moving Tony about two inches in the process.

"Tony," he said again, this time slapping the agent in the back of the head.

Tony's eyes opened. Gibbs sighed in relief. Thank God he was okay.

"Boss?" Tony said. "McGee made it. Thanks for coming."

"Anytime," Gibbs said with a smirk. "Now stop lying down on the job. Let's get you out of here."

---

"I am glad you are okay," Ziva said, coming to sit next to McGee.

"Thanks," McGee said. "I shouldn't have followed Marlow. I should…"

"Do not second guess yourself, McGee," Ziva said. "You reported your suspicions, and then followed up on them like any good agent would do. I could not have done better. Tony could not have done better. Gibbs… well, Gibbs probably would have found a way."

McGee chuckled. "Yeah, he's like Chuck Norris."

"Who?" Ziva asked.

"Never mind," McGee sighed. "So I guess you guys had to work through Christmas," McGee said apologetically.

"I'm Jewish," she reminded him, "Hanukkah began December 5th this year."

"That's right," McGee said, blushing a little at his error.

"That is okay, McGee. I am not exactly orthodox."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"I am glad you are okay," Ziva said again, this time, turning to face him.

Seeing the depth of her emotion, McGee was temporarily taken aback. He wasn't sure why he was so shocked that she was worried about him, but he was. He had the sudden urge to hug her. He tried to dampen the feeling rather than anger her with his forwardness, but instead opted to ask for permission.

"Ziva? Would it be alright if I hugged you?"

"Of course," she said, allowing him to embrace her.

She buried her face in the blanket, not wanting him to see the tears she had finally allowed to escape.

The sudden movement of the paramedics near them caused them to pull apart. Ziva stood in shock as she saw Gibbs and the deputy, both drenched, walking toward them. Gibbs was carrying Tony in his arms. Tony's limbs were slack and he appeared lifeless.

"Oh dear God, no," Ziva whispered. "Tony!"

"He's alive," Gibbs said. "He lost consciousness again on the way out, but he's still breathing."

"Thank God," McGee said, more grateful than he could express that Gibbs had been able to rescue Tony.

They watched as the paramedics went to work on him.

"Call Abby," Gibbs barked to Ziva.

Ziva's eyes widened. She could not believe she had not already thought to do that. Abby could never know, or she would kill her.

Catching the expression on Ziva's face, McGee smiled. Apparently, even trained assassins feared Abby's wrath.

**THE END – Well, not really. There is a short epilogue to follow. Enjoy!**


	9. Chapter 9

HAPPY EPILOGUE

The glorious sounds of Christmas music tinkled through the reception hall. McGee smiled as he took in all the decorations. It was as if they had been transported into a Christmas party from ages past. The brass ensemble kept the music coming as the revelers danced, ate and enjoyed one another's company.

"I still can't believe you insisted on having Christmas again, Abby," McGee said to the woman who had barely left his side since he had been released from the hospital. It's January the 4th."

"I know, and you and Tony spent Christmas trapped in those awful tunnels and I don't even want to think about that. You have both recovered and now we can celebrate together," she said with a smile, entwining an arm through his.

"We were released from the hospital a week ago, Abs," McGee reminded her.

"Yeah, but you couldn't dance then," she said with a sly smile.

"No," he said quickly. "Having recovered from my gunshot wound does not mean I can suddenly dance."

"Awww…" Abby turned her face into a proper pout, giving McGee her guilt-inducing look.

"Abby," he warned.

"Please?" she asked sweetly.

McGee sighed. He had never been able to tell her no before, and he wasn't going to start now.

"Alright," he finally agreed, taking her hand and leading to the dance floor.

"I do not believe I have seen McGee without Abby since you came home," Ziva said wistfully.

"Yeah, she's a good friend," Tony said.

Ziva quirked an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Tony asked. "They're just friends, Ziva. Abby is only giving him more attention than me because he needs it more."

"Oh, I see," Ziva said knowingly.

"Care to cut a guy a break?" Tony said, pointing at the cast on his arm.

"I beg your pardon?" Ziva asked, not understanding.

"You're supposed to take pity on me and ask me to dance."

"Why would I take pity on you? I did not break your arm. Someone else can risk her toes."

"Ouch, Ziva," Tony said, wincing at her comment.

"Sometimes the truth hurts. I believe that is the correct phrase."

"Ah, but you always hurt the ones you love," Tony countered.

"So _that_ is why you always tease McGee." Ziva said with a smirk.

"No, I… That's not what I meant!" he called after her as she walked away chuckling.

Ziva walked up to McGee and Abby as the song ended and another began.

"May I butt in?" she asked.

"It's cut in," McGee said with a grin.

"Same difference," Abby said. "McGee doesn't really like to dance."

"I'd like that, Ziva," McGee said with a smile.

Abby watched as they began to glide gracefully across the floor. Well, as gracefully as McGee could manage, that is. She shrugged her shoulders and went to look for a new partner. She smiled when saw Director Shepard leading Tony to the dance floor. Now where had Gibbs gone?

THE END


End file.
